Rice with Tea

Ocha-Zuke

I recall as a child coming to the United States and discovering that Americans put butter on their rice. I was appalled and sickened. I felt even more disgusted when a friend told me she enjoyed pouring sugar and milk on her rice. (Since then, of course, I have adapted well to Western cuisine and now enjoy hot rice cereal with vanilla soy milk!) But here is a simple way of eating rice beloved by Japanese that has made American jaws drop upon hearing it described-pouring green tea over rice.

Traditionally in Japan, one never puts anything on his rice-no soy sauce, butter, or gravy-with the exception of tea. Served with the proper condiments, ocha-zuke is delicious and a wonderful late night snack with leftover rice. There are many condiments possible, and today even instant ocha-zuke tea-condiment combos are available. (All you add is rice and hot water.) After trying these suggestions, you will not think that tea on rice is such a strange concept.